Beauty Reviews: Cle de Peau and the Best Concealer – and where to find it in the UK

Cle de Peau, much hyped as the 'best concealer' out there and owned by Japanese brand Shiseido, launched in 1982 with the aim of combining sophisticated technology with luxurious anti-aging products.  Its award winning concealer has become somewhat of a cult item, used by make-up artists, stars of stage and screen and celebrities alike.  It’s also expensive, retailing in the US at $70.  So would you invest this kind of money on something that’s so much less expensive elsewhere?  Sisley, La Prairie and Creme de la Mer are the only ones to come close to it price-wise. 

Add to that the fact that you can’t easily buy Cle de Peau’s concealer in the UK, and that you’ll pay more in pounds than you do in dollars when you can, and you may well sniff and turn away, but there is just so much hype about this product, so many great reviews, that I decided to see for myself what it was all about, and trotted off to Neiman Marcus on Saturday, recently recovered from bronchitis and so definitely not looking my best.  The thought of something that would brighten, lift, and treat tired and dullish looking eyes was too much to pass up.

Well I can tell you this. It is very good indeed. Is this the ‘best concealer’ out there?  I can't promise, I haven’t tried them all, but get your hands on this one if you can, have it sent to you by a friend in the US or order it (as you can along with other Cle de Peau products) from Amazon.co.uk.  You may well find it worth it.  Not only does it go on creamily but it does everything it says on the tin – it conceals, brightens and doesn’t crease.  And one stick should last you a long time.  Yes there are much cheaper versions that will do a good job but I have never found them quite good enough and always searched for something better.

As every girl’s best friend, your concealer, if it really works, is worth spending money on.  Here (in the US) they limit the number you can buy at one time…….I wonder why.